Family & Bereavement Counsellor and Support Worker
Job summary
Family & Bereavement Counsellor and Support Worker Hours: part-time - 18 hours per week, worked over 3 days Location: Helen House, Oxford Salary: HDH Band 5 £33,636 - £40,483 per annum (pro rata), depending on experience Closing date: 9th December 2025 at 12 noon Interview date: 17th December 2025 We have an exciting opportunity, due to retirement of the current post holder, to join our Family and Bereavement Support Team. Family and Bereavement Counsellor and Support Workers provide emotional and psychological support to parents of babies and children living with a life-threatening illness, or life limiting condition; and provide grief education, emotional and psychological support to parents and grandparents for up to 2 years following the death of a baby or child. Family and Bereavement Counsellor and Support Workers help parents and grandparents with managing their emotions and coping with grief, building their resilience and empowering them at level 1-2 of the Bereavement Network Europe Model. We help clients to access level 3 intervention if they require this.
Main duties of the job
Applicants will have experience of working therapeutically with individuals experiencing loss and change, youll be compassionate, sensitive, creative and a great communicator. A relevant qualification is essential and this maybe a Diploma in Counselling, Registered Nurse, or Mental Health Nurse, Social Worker with counselling experience or with significant experience of working with grief and loss. Ideally, youll have experience of working with bereaved parents and have experience of running peer-to-peer bereavement support groups. The post holder will work onsite at Helen & Douglas House Childrens Hospice, in hospital settings and in parents own homes. It is therefore vital to be able to drive and to have a car as the hospice covers 6 surrounding counties. Clinical supervision is provided in line with British Association of Psychology and Counselling standards which will also complement your resilience and self-care skills. The hours in client facing work count as counselling hours.
About us
Helen & Douglas House is a registered hospice charity based in Oxford, providing palliative, respite, end-of-life and bereavement care to life-limited children and their families. We foster a climate where team members feel able to openly question, debate and appropriately challenge their own and the practice of others; as such, we welcome new ideas and strive to constantly improve our delivery of care to our patients. Ready to bring your skills to a role that matters? Applications will be reviewed and invited to interview as received. We reserve the right to close the advert at any time, therefore weencourageapplicants to apply as soon as possible. Please note that everyone working for Helen & Douglas House are required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service check. Helen & Douglas House is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We are an equal opportunities employer and value the benefits of a diverse workforce. We positively encourage applications from all areas of the community.
Details
Date posted
24 November 2025
Pay scheme
Other
Salary
£33,636 to £40,483 a year
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Part-time
Reference number
HND1157371
Job locations
14a Magdalen Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX4 1RW
Job description
Job responsibilities
Summary of the Roles Main Purpose: For family support, the counsellor and support worker will provide education, emotional support and facilitate practical support via the wider multi-disciplinary team to parents of children who have been referred to Helen & Douglas House for palliative and end of life care. The role will contribute to the delivery of integrated, well-communicated care to parents through their childs illness and death. The role provides bereavement support for parents where the child has died at Helen & Douglas House, in their own home, and local hospitals, including parents whose child died suddenly. The role provides emotional and psychological support level 1-2 (European Association of Bereavement Network) and work with GPs and mental health services to provide level 3 support for those clients requiring this. For the full job description, please see the supporting documents.
Job descriptionJob responsibilities
Summary of the Roles Main Purpose: For family support, the counsellor and support worker will provide education, emotional support and facilitate practical support via the wider multi-disciplinary team to parents of children who have been referred to Helen & Douglas House for palliative and end of life care. The role will contribute to the delivery of integrated, well-communicated care to parents through their childs illness and death. The role provides bereavement support for parents where the child has died at Helen & Douglas House, in their own home, and local hospitals, including parents whose child died suddenly. The role provides emotional and psychological support level 1-2 (European Association of Bereavement Network) and work with GPs and mental health services to provide level 3 support for those clients requiring this. For the full job description, please see the supporting documents.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Diploma in Counselling, Registered Mental Nurse or other relevant qualification with extensive relevant experience. Willingness to complete counselling registration in the future if not held.
Desirable
- Educated to degree level.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with bereaved parents beyond the childs actual time of death.
- Good team player and experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to work independently.
- Up to date with current research on child and adult bereavement.
- Therapeutic interventions in grief work.
Desirable
- Knowledge of working in the voluntary sector and statutory services.
- Experience of working with people with complex needs.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Excellent listening and communication skills (written and verbal), and ability to contain emotional distress
- Group work skills.
- Good time management and organisation skills.
- Competent information technology skills.
- Debrief skills
- Flexible approach to work and working hours as job requires some and weekend work.
- Commitment to participating in clinical supervision.
- Hold a current driving licence and be able to travel as a regular part of the role.
Desirable
- Presentation skills for a variety of audiences
Qualifications
Essential
- Diploma in Counselling, Registered Mental Nurse or other relevant qualification with extensive relevant experience. Willingness to complete counselling registration in the future if not held.
Desirable
- Educated to degree level.
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with bereaved parents beyond the childs actual time of death.
- Good team player and experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team.
- Ability to work independently.
- Up to date with current research on child and adult bereavement.
- Therapeutic interventions in grief work.
Desirable
- Knowledge of working in the voluntary sector and statutory services.
- Experience of working with people with complex needs.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Excellent listening and communication skills (written and verbal), and ability to contain emotional distress
- Group work skills.
- Good time management and organisation skills.
- Competent information technology skills.
- Debrief skills
- Flexible approach to work and working hours as job requires some and weekend work.
- Commitment to participating in clinical supervision.
- Hold a current driving licence and be able to travel as a regular part of the role.
Desirable
- Presentation skills for a variety of audiences
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional informationDisclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Helen & Douglas House
Address
14a Magdalen Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX4 1RW
Employer's website
https://www.helenanddouglas.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Employer details
Employer name
Helen & Douglas House
Address
14a Magdalen Road
Oxford
Oxfordshire
OX4 1RW
Employer's website
Salary range
- £33,636 - £40,483 per year